Anger and Loyalty
ANGER fuels the demon race. It fuels the human race, too, but less so. This is what the Angels have always been taught. Do not fear Them, for We are far more powerful than They. They are lower than the lowest of Angels. The lowest of fairies and giants and elves surpass them as well. Even the lowly humans were far more worthy than They are. Do not engage with them if you can avoid it. Lest you be a low-ranked Angel, you will never look in the direction of They. It is forbidden, for They are not worthy of your time.
Shebiel was an Executor Angel. An Exterminator. A lower-ranked Angel. Shebiel’s job involved traveling to the demon’s realm under the great Archangel Micheal’s command to purge the demons every year. To keep their population controlled. Shebiel was aware that she was doing good for the world. Keeping the demons under control for the sake of the other races. For the sake of the Angels. And yet…
“Shebiel!” A firm voice hit the young Angel’s ears like a brick. That voice belonged to Meriel. Meriel was the Angel in charge of the Commandment which Shebiel belonged to. Above her in the hierarchy was Dariel and above them was Micheal himself. “Ma’am!” squeaked Sopheriel in response. Meriel’s golden eyes squinted, her mouth pulled into a tight frown as her brows furrowed. When Meriel shifted to move closer to the younger entity, the holy sword at her hip shifted with her. It wasn’t even in a proper sheath, how did it not cut her?
“You’ve been staring out into the clouds for seven lightyears now.”
“Oh, have I? I must’ve been daydreaming again. Did you need me for something?”
“Yes, actually. Micheal has handpicked a few Angels of different classes to travel down to either the human or demon realm and do a population check in different areas. You’ve been chosen to travel to Terra Brunneis in Imperium. You are to come back no sooner than three weeks and no later than six weeks. We will need a detailed counting of the population there. Make sure to separate them by title or royal title.”
LOYALTY. Shakini stared at the bold word engraved into her silver bracelet. She read it once and twice and a third time, tracing over it with a pale finger. Loyalty was what her people stood for and every member of the royal family was gifted a bracelet like this upon their sixth hundredth birthday to remind them of this. No matter what happened, the people of the Kingdom came before them. For the Imperial family might be the head of state, but in truth, they are the least. They rule to serve their people and provide them with as much as they can.
The Brunnei family leads with a heart of fire and a loyal hand. If the people’s trust is to be betrayed, then the traitor must pay a heavy price. For treachery without a valid reason, with no substance behind it, was the worst sin of all. Even in a land based upon and raised by sin, a traitor was the lowest of the low.
Today had been the youngest Brunnei’s six-hundredth birthday. A grand ball had been thrown and each of the six royal families of Imperium had been invited. There had been everything one could ever want, both for the elders and the younger demons. A quadrille band stood at the large stage of the grand hall, a room separate full of refreshments from tea to cocktails and juice for the children. There were cake and biscuits and many sweet and savory treats for the visitors.
A room yet smaller had been reserved for the children’s playtime, full with toys and trinkets and playground-esque equipment. Of course, there were royal guards on duty to make sure everything went according to plan, but no one stopped them from taking an occasional break and enjoying the evening as well. Shakini had received many gifts from her familiars and their company, she knew all of the children well but the parents she only knew by their formal titles. Her rosy cheeks were pinched many-a-times leaving them red circles rather than the soft pink they usually were and she had to massage certain spots to keep them from hurting too much.
The greatest gift she had received from her mother, Lilith, who had snapped the bracelet delicately onto the child’s wrist as everyone watched in awe. A toast had been made to the Princess then and celebration had gone on. Shakini grew bored of socializing but cared not enough to drive anyone out of the palace. Instead, the small devil held up the fronts of her lime green ballgown to allow herself to walk without tripping, cherry-red shoes glistening in the candlelight of the halls as she wandered to her sister’s room.
The brunette carried a small cup of wine into the room, as children here were allowed a small sip of wine once they turned six-hundred. Brown tail flicked behind her as she opened the door and peeked inside. There, she would find Merlin resting on her bed. The dark-haired demoness would be resting on her back, her bottom half tucked carefully into the covers and her hands placed on her stomach, holding onto a purple rose. Merlin was ill and slept very often, if it weren’t for her tail flicking occasionally, one might think she had perished in her sleep.
Shakini clambered up onto a chair next to the bed, placing the cup she held on the bedside table. She knew her sister needed as much rest as she could get...and yet..
Almost on its own, her hand moved to poke Merlin’s cheek softly.
“Mer?”
Eyes seemed to twitch softly under closed eyelids but beyond that, the girl gave no response. Shakini sighed and picked up a book from the nightstand, opening it to reveal gold-edged, yellowing pages. It was a leather-bound book of ancient times by now, over 6,000 years old. A human had written it, is what she’d been told. No one was sure how it ended up so far away from the human’s realm, but Shakini was grateful as this was her favorite book which Merlin used to read to her at bedtime.
